Insulator for conduit electric railways.



No. 672,3l9. Patented Apr. 16, i90|i. .1. M. EADIE, A. STEVENS & R. P.'TOMASSEK.

INSULATOR FOR CONDUIT ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

(Application filed Aug. 2. 1900.: (No Model.)

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N0. 672, 3|9. Patented Apr "5, I90l. J. M. EADIE, A. STEVENS &. R. P. TUMASSEK. INSULATOR FOR GUNDUIT ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

(Application filed Aug. 2, 1900.) (No Model.) 7 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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JOHN M. EADIE, ALEXANDER STEVENS, AND ROMEO P. TOMASSEK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

INSULATOR FOR CONIDUIT ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 672,319, dated April 16, 1901.

Application filed August 2, 1900. Serial No. 25,644. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN M. EADIE, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and ALEXANDER STEVENS and ROMEO P. TOMASSEK, citizens of the United States, all residents of the borough of Manhattan, in the city and State of NewYork, have invented new and useful Means for Insulating a Line Conductor in a Conduit System of an Electric Railway, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to means for insulating a line conductor in a conduit system of an electric railway,with the object in view of providing efficient means for supporting and insulating the line conductor,and to further provide supporting means of the above character which may be introduced, if so desired, into conduit systems at presentin use without any serious reorganization of the assembled parts.

Our invention contemplates supporting a hanger for a line conductor in insulating material,preferably between blocks of insulating material so constructed and arranged that it will effectually prevent short-circuiting from ice and water and which may be assembled together with the hanger or supporting-arm, renewed, and readjusted from a box or opening conveniently located at the side of the slotrail.

A practical embodiment of our invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a transverse section through the track, showing the line-conductor support in connection with the box now in common use, the line-conductor support being shown in the present instance on one side of the conduit only, it being understood that a similar sup port may be located upon the opposite side of the conduit or not, at pleasure. Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of a portion of the line conductor, its hanger or supporting-arm, and the support for the arm. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the hanger in a plane parallel with the line conductor, showing a support for the hanger in face elevation. Fig. 4. is a transverse vertical section in the plane of the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the track, showing the line-conductor support in connection with our new thereon.

box construction. Fig. 6 is a top plan view showing the manner of supporting the lineconductor support in the box construction shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal ver tical section in the plane of the line 7 7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 7 is a similar View showing the insulating material in one piece with the hanger molded therein, and Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical section taken in the plane of the line 8 8 of Fig. 6.

The conduit is denoted by A, the slot-rails at the top of the conduit bya a, and the box at the side of the slot-rails for gaining access to the hanger for the line conductor by B.

The parts hereinabove mentioned may be of any well-known or approved form, our invention being directed to the means for insulating the hanger for the line conductor rather than to the conduit structure.

We will now proceed to describe the means for insulating the hanger in connection with the usual box construction represented in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive.

Within the box B and projecting from its opposite walls are flanges, (denoted by b b,) which if they are not already on the box can be fastened to it, on which the opposite ends of a stirrup or a pair of stirrnps, in the present instance two U-shaped bars 0 G, forming a pair of stirrups, rest and to which they are secured by means of vertical bolts D D, due. ,which bolts serve at the same time to hold the various parts of the support for the line conductor in position, as will hereinafter appear. On the stirrups O O a skeleton bedblock E rests, in the present instance the said block being provided with recesses e e in the lower ends of its opposite branches for the reception of the bars 0 O, which form the stirrups. The top of the block E, denoted by c (see Fig. 4B,) is preferably reduced in diameter to form a retaining-head for the block of insulating material fitted The insulating material may consist of one piece, as shown in Fig 7 or of a plurality of pieces or parts, as shown in Fig. 7. For convenience we denote the insulating material as a whole by F and the parts by F F. On the top of the bed-block E there rests theinsulating material F, in which the hanger for the line conductor is embedded.

Depending upon the nature of this insulating material, it may be advisable to divide it into two blocks F and F the block F resting directly upon the bed-block E and the block F resting upon the block F, between which blocks the hanger is supported. On the top of the insulating material F there is a cover H, which preferably is provided on its under side with a shallow tongue h for the purpose of holding the insulating material F in position. The lower part of the insulating material F is provided with a downwardlyprojecting overhanging flange f, which is intended to completely surround the top of the block E, and on the bottom of the block of insulating material F there is also a depending flange g, which in turn is intended to completely surround the top of the block F save only where the hanger projects from between the blocks. The top of the insulating material F is further preferably provided with a depending flange g, and the cover H in turn is provided with a downwardly and outwardly projecting flange h, intended to completely surround and shield the top of the depending flange g. In short, the insulated material, whether in one or two pieces, together with its cover and bed-block, forms an inverted frustum of a pyramid, with frequent marginal shields for directing any water which may come in contact therewith away from the body of the insulating material. The opposite ends of the cover H are in this case extended to positions above the flanges b b on the box or yoke and the bolts D D, &c., extend through the opposite ends of the cover H, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, the bolts being provided with nuts cl (1 at their upper ends, 01* d at their lower ends, and intermediate of their ends with jamnuts d d for the purpose of drawing the parts into close contact to hold the stirrups and hanger in place.

In our new form of box construction (represented in Figs. 5 to 8, inclusive) the hangersupport is mounted in substantially the same manner as in the box construction now in common use, (represented in Figs. 1 to 4:, inclusive,) except that the box B may be made to support on its bottom 19 the bed-block E, upon which the hanger-su pport rests, without the use of the stirrups O C in the construction hereinbefore described. In this case the block E may be a part of the box B or it might rest on any part of the structure built to receive it.

For either old or new construction the hanger which directly supports the line conductor is denoted by M. Its upper end m is turned at an angle to the body portion and is received between the upper and lower insulating-blocks F F, its extreme end being preferably formed T-shaped, as shown at m,

to more firmly retain it in the insulating material. Its body portion extends diagonally downwardly and inwardly through the Wall of the conduit A to a point where the line conductor N may be secured to.it in any proper manner.

Particular attention is called to the following advantages resulting from the structure hereinabove described: The hanger which carries the line conductor is thoroughly insulated, and'the liability of short-circuiting by the banking of water or ice between any part of the hanger and the metallic parts of its support is guarded against by the overhanging shield or guard-flanges on the insulating material and its cover, the gradual taper toward the top of the bed-block E having a tendency to free the support and prevent the accumulation of water. Furthermore, the insulating material being at some distance from and above the line conductor is largely protected from the splash occasioned by the plow of the car.

The whole support is within easy reach of the top of the box B, and the question of taking up wear or renewal of parts is solved in a very simple manner by the structure of the cover and its connections.

The insulating material supported as hereinabove described serves to hold the hanger at a distance from the walls of the conduit and from the walls of the box, which forms an upward extension of the conduit, and which walls we wish to be understood as included in the expression walls of the conduit.

It is obvious that changes might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention. Hence we do not wish to limit ourselves strictly to the structure herein set forth; but

What we claim is 1. In combination, aline conductor extending along a conduit, a hanger adapted at one end to carry the line conductor, insulating material arranged to envelop and hold the opposite end of the hanger and means for supporting and securely holding the insulating material on its top and bottom only, free and clear of the walls of the conduit, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination, aline conductor extending along a conduit, a hanger adapted at one. end to carry the line conductor, insulating material arranged to envelop and hold the opposite end of the hanger, a bed-block forming a support for the insulating material, a detachable overhanging cover or roof over the insulating material and means for securing the said cover and holding the assembled parts in adjustment, free and clear of the walls of the conduit, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination, a line conductor extending along a conduit, a hanger adapted at one end to carry the line conductor, insulating material arranged to envelop and hold the opposite end of the hanger, a bed-block form'- ing a support for the insulating material, a stirrup arranged to support the bed-block, a detachable cover or roof over the insulating IIO material and means for securing the said cover and holding the assembled parts in adjustment, free and clear of the walls of the conduit, substantially as set forth.

4. In combination, aline conductor extending alonga conduit, a hanger adapted at one end to carry the line conductor, insulating material arranged to envelop and hold the opposite end of the hanger, a bed-block forming a support for the insulating material, a detachable cover resting on top of the insulating material, a support for the bed-block and bolts arranged to force the cover toward said support and to hold the assembled parts in adjustment, free and clear of the walls of the conduit, substantially as set forth.

5. In combination, a line conductor extending along a conduit, a hanger adapted at one end to carry the line conductor, insulating material arranged to envelop and hold the opposite end of the hanger, said insulating material being provided at its top and bottom with depending overhanging flanges or watersheds andmeans for supporting the insulating material on its top and bottom free and clear of the walls of the conduit, substantially as set forth.

6. In combination, a line conductor extending along a conduit, a hanger adapted at one end to carry the line conductor, insulating material arranged to envelop and hold the opposite end of the hanger, the said insulatin g material being recessed at top and bottom and means for supporting and securely holdin g the insulating material on its top and bottom only, free and clear of the walls of the conduit, substantially as set forth.

7. In combination, aline conductor extending along a conduit, a hanger adapted at one end to carry the line conductor, insulating material in two separate blocks arranged to envelop and hold the opposite end of the hanger and means forsupporting and securely holding the insulating material on its top and bottom only, free and clear of the walls of the conduit, substantially as set forth.

8. In combination, aline conductor extending along a conduit, a'hanger adapted at one end to carry the line conductor, insulating material in two separate blocks, the upper one larger and overhanging the lower, both arranged to envelop and hold the opposite end of the hanger and means for supporting the insulating material on its top and bottom, free and clear of the walls of the conduit, substantially as set forth.

9. In combination, aline conductor extending along a conduit, a hanger adapted at one end to carry the line conductor, insulating material in separate blocks arranged to envelop and hold the opposite end of the hanger, the said blocks being provided, at their adjacent faces, with recesses for the reception of the said hanger, and means for supporting and securely holding the insulating material on its top and bottom only, free and clear of the walls of the conduit, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our invention we have signed our names, in presence of two witnesses, this 30th day of July, 1900.

JOHN M. EADIE. ALEXANDER STEVENS. ROMEO P. TOMASSEK. Witnesses:

FREDK. HAYNES, GEORGE BARRY, Jr. 

